The second company to emerge from the former Ensemble Studios was announced this week. Bonfire Studios is a 35 person studio currently working on an original IP to be announced in the coming months. The Bonfire team is made up entirely of former Ensemble employees fresh off of the highly-anticipated HALO WARS.
Robot Ent. has formed a new game development studio in Plano, Texas. Founded by many of the original founders of Ensemble Studios, Robot has a staff of 45 comprised entirely of former Ensemble employees. Robot's team developed the hit franchise AGE OF EMPIRES, selling over 20 million units worldwide, and the soon-to-be released HALO WARS for Xbox 360. Tony Goodman, the founder of Ensemble, is the CEO of Robot.
Laura Fryer has been appointed GM, Seattle Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive Ent., overseeing the company's internal development studios based in Seattle.
Sony Pictures Animation has set a deal with Platinum Studios, an entertainment company that controls an international library of comic book characters which it adapts, produces and licenses for all forms of media, to develop an animated feature.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled the seven films remaining in contention for Achievement in Visual Effects for the 81st Academy Awards. Expected contenders include THE DARK KNIGHT, IRON MAN and THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, along with surprises like AUSTRALIA and JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.
VFX houses Digital Domain, Double Negative and Framestore all got multiple nods.
The films are listed below in alphabetical order:
Tim Connors has been named Chief Operating Officer of Marvel Studios, the Hollywood subsidiary of Marvel Ent. In his new role, Connors will manage Marvel Studios' day-to-day business operations as well as oversee the business transactions for all studio productions including the anticipated releases of IRON MAN 2 on May 7, 2010, THOR on July 16, 2010, THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA on May 6, 2011, THE AVENGERS in July 15, 2011 and ANT MAN.
Bruce Shelley will be the 12th inductee into The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' Hall of Fame. Shelley is a preeminent game designer, who assisted Sid Meier in bringing the award-winning CIVILIZATION and RAILROAD TYCOON to the world, and later the AGE OF EMPIRES strategy games with Ensemble Studios.
PC GAMER named Shelley one of the 25 Game Gods in 1999, and in 2002 GAME SPY named him the eighth most influential person in gaming.
Bang Zoom! Entertainment will hold an intermediate level voice acting workshop at its studios in Burbank this coming Saturday, November 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bang Zoom Studios, 1100 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA, 91505.
Imagi Studios has signed worldwide licensing agreements with American Greetings, Penguin Group (USA) Inc., Jazwares Inc., D3Publisher and IDW Publishing for ASTRO BOY, its upcoming CG-animated film based on the adventures of the superhero icon. The studio's agreement with American Greetings also extends to future Imagi films. ASTRO BOY, slated for domestic release on October 23, 2009, is being distributed worldwide by Summit Ent. except for Imagi's reserved territories of Japan, Hong Kong and China.
In an unusually early bidding war, four studios are battling for a new videogame from Electronic Arts -- that hasn't yet been announced publicly, per VARIETY.
About a journey through the depths of hell, sources say the game is likely to be titled DANTE'S INFERNO, and while EA has cleared the title for use, it has not officially titled it. EA and its representation declined to comment Thursday evening.
Animation studio Aardman has selected Escape Studios' comprehensive Maya courseware and online learning system to augment its in-house computer graphics training program.
An addition to Escape Studios' portfolio of prominent corporate adopters, Aardman's announcement comes three weeks after game developer Rare announced its decision to implement Escape Studios' online learning system. The online Maya program was developed by Escape's tutors and features HD content and an unprecedented learning experience.
TRANSFORMERS will now be developed as a new theme park mega-attraction in a partnership between Universal Parks & Resorts, Hasbro, Inc. and DreamWorks Pictures.
Platinum Studios, Inc., an entertainment company that controls an international library of more than 5,600 comic book characters which it adapts, produces and licenses for all forms of media, announced that it is creating an Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is being formed to help further the company's pursuits of home video and theatrical distribution, marketing, and developing content for new media.
3D Biz-Ex will be held September 30-October 1 conference at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Los Angeles, Calif., effectively covering the broad range of 3D applications -- from the lens to the eye.
Headlining this large gathering of 3D professionals are several experienced and successful creators of live action and animated 3-D movies including: producer Jed Weintrob, Buzz Hays of Sony Pictures Imageworks, Domonic Paris, Gina Gallo and Mimi Maynard of Illuminata Pictures and Jason Brenek of Walt Disney Studios.
Escape Studios has launched a new online 3D animation course in HD. The revolutionary online platform allows students to become computer graphics experts from anywhere in the world and promises to open doors into the film, games and animation industries.
Escape Studios is also now open for business in New York.
3D Biz-Ex will be held September 30-October 1 conference at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Los Angeles, Calif., effectively covering the broad range of 3D applications -- from the lens to the eye.
Headlining this large gathering of 3D professionals are several experienced and successful creators of live action and animated 3D movies including: producer Jed Weintrob, Buzz Hays of Sony Pictures Imageworks, Domonic Paris, Gina Gallo and Mimi Maynard of Illuminata Pictures and Jason Brenek of Walt Disney Studios.
Disney animation exec Andrew Millstein has been named general manager for Walt Disney Animation Studios, and industry effects production veteran Jim Morris will take on a parallel role as general manager for Pixar Animation Studios
Both executives will be responsible for guiding overall operations of their respective studios, and will continue to oversee all aspects of production related to animated features, short films and special animated projects. They will report directly to Ed Catmull, president of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.
Chinese studios are struggling to generate revenues at home while trying to expand their presence in the global marketplace. They face many hurdles, but signs point to success in the long term.
Winning the weekend for a fourth time, THE DARK KNIGHT continues to dominate against anything thrown against it, beating openers PINEAPPLE EXPRESS and THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2 with $26.12 million (weekend ending August 10; actuals). The Warner Bros. film (vfx by Double Negative, BUF, Gentle Giant Studios and New Deal Studios) has a cume of $441.63M.
VARIETY reports that $31M of that total comes from IMAX screens alone.
Sony's PINEAPPLE EXPRESS came in second with $23.24M over the weekend and $41.32M in the entire Wednesday-Sunday opening.
Warner Bros.' THE DARK KNIGHT won the box office for the third week running, earning $42.66 million (actuals) for the week ending August 3 and $393.75M in total gross. The record-breaking Batman flick's vfx were by Double Negative, BUF, Gentle Giant Studios and New Deal Studios.
Brendan Fraser's third foray into haunted mummies, THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR (Universal, vfx by Digital Domain, Gentle Giant Studios, Giant Studios, CIS Hollywood, CIS London, Rhythm and Hues and Special Effects Atlantic) opened in close second with $40.46M.
Video gaming masterminds David Braben (Frontier Developments), Damian Isla (Bungie Studios), Richard Lemarchand (Naughty Dog) and Phil Spencer (Microsoft Game Studios Europe) and top animator Andy Lomas (Framestore) will deliver keynote addresses at this year's Develop Conference and Expo, which takes place from July 29-31 in Brighton.
Virgin Comics and Perspective Studios will collaborate with acclaimed comics scribe Grant Morrison on MBX, a new intellectual property and animation franchise based on India's iconic myth The Mahabharata.
Morrison's re-imagining of the epic tale of two families at war and the fate of the universe that hangs in the balance features an ancient world fused with incredible technology and super beings. At San Diego Comic-Con 2008, animation for the project will get its first public look.
Winning the weekend and becoming the new all-time opening weekend box office champ, Warner Bros.' THE DARK KNIGHT earned $158.4 million (actuals) for the weekend ending July 20. That easily beats the $151.1M opening of SPIDER-MAN 3 last May and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST opening in July 2007 with $135.6M.
In addition, the domestic box office racked up more than $260M in ticket sales, making it the biggest three-day weekend ever in total grosses, per VARIETY.
Perspective Studios, a leading creator of animation and motion capture for feature film, television, commercials and video games, announced Tuesday the opening of a West Coast studio in Santa Monica, California.
In a significant expansion for the company, which also has state-of-the-art motion capture and production facilities in New York, the new facility will provide top-quality 3-D animation and motion capture on the ground in Los Angeles and support Perspective Studios' rapidly expanding portfolio of clients, production attachments and original IP.
Universal's HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY won its opening weekend (ending July 13) with $34.54 million (actuals). The Guillermo del Toro-directed comic book adaptation had vfx by Double Negative, FB-FX, Filmefex Studio, Ghost ApS, Hatch Production, Lip Synch Post and The Senate Visual Effects.
HANCOCK, last week's winner, dropped to the number two slot with $32.08M and a two-week $164.42M gross. The Sony film's vfx were by Furious FX, Lidar Services, Sony Pictures Imageworks and X1fx.
